1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate generally to operating a macro command and inputting a macro command, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for combining control signals received from a remote control to create a macro command, and collectively operating a function corresponding to a menu item of a host device according to the macro command.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent development in devices for electronic and digital communications, the various devices, such as a digital television (DTV), an audio video (AV) amplifier, a video cassette recorder (VCR), a digital video disk (DVD) and a set-top box (STB) or the like, have been installed at home. And, when a user watches media contents or the like, a remote control is provided for wirelessly operating these devices or selecting a mode of a desired device.
In general, a separate remote control is provided according to the respective devices so that a user should control the respective devices using a plurality of remote controls. For example, the remote controls for controlling the DVD apparatus and DTV apparatus or the like are provided respectively, and the user controls the corresponding devices using the separate remote controls.
FIG. 1 illustrates controls of the devices by means of a conventional remote control.
As shown in FIG. 1, a home network is formed with a plurality of controlled devices (a DVD player 12, an AV amplifier 14, a STB 16, and DTV 18 in an inner room) and a host device (DTV 10 in a living room). A list of controlled devices is displayed on a screen of the host device 10 so that the user can use a remote control, so as to select one device from the displayed controlled devices and control the selected controlled device. In this way, the user can control the device by means of a single remote control instead of multiple remote controls.
However, the control of the devices by means of a single remote control can be implemented under the network environment in which the devices are manufactured by an identical manufacturer.
Further, even though it is possible to control the devices by means of a single remote control, there is a manipulating complication in that a specific function is accomplished through several steps. For example, if the user desires to play the media contents inserted in the DVD player 12 on the host device 10, the command input procedures to the host device 10 in sequence, i.e., DTV external input conversion, DVD power turn-on, DVD mode selection, DVD play button selection, DVD screen size adjustment, AV receiver power turn-on, AV receiver input conversion, DTV mute, AV receiver sound-field mode or the like, need to be taken follow.
Conventionally, the remote control includes multiple keys, such as a mode conversion key for converting modes among devices, number keys of 0 through 9, a power button, a sound adjustment button, direction buttons including the upper, lower, left and right, a play button, a rewind button and a channel button or the like. In general, users find and press a specific key of the remote control in order to select a device and implement a specific function of the selected device. Therefore, users who are senior or are not familiar with use of the device may feel considerable burdens in manipulating the device.